It really wasn't wrong for Orochimaru to say that.
Look at the battlefield—aside from that black-and-white cactus thing, everyone else was young, at least younger than him, Orochimaru.
One had turned into a snake, with an expression that looked utterly deranged.
One had ringed eyes, looking just as crazed.
The last one was the most outrageous—not even human anymore, a full-on puppet warrior. You couldn't see his expression, but judging from how much he hated himself, he was clearly insane as well.
"Ah, I really am old. I can't keep up with the mental processes of young people anymore."
"But there's one thing I know I didn't do wrong—if you want to become stronger, you have to become less like a human!"
Orochimaru's expression darkened for a moment, then quickly twisted into madness.
His entire body went limp and boneless—it was his self-created Soft Physique Technique. His whole form became like a long snake as he shot toward Sasori of the Red Sand.
"Disgusting snake!"
"Fire—now!"
Sasori of the Red Sand's hatred for snakes had already reached a level completely beyond words.
He raised both hands, and two cylindrical tubes instantly emerged from his palms. The next second, two fire dragons burst forth, tearing through the air.
The temperature was so high that even the surrounding plants withered instantly.
"Oh? Flames driven by chakra?"
"No… are they supported by scrolls?"
Orochimaru softened his body and dodged the flames in an extremely bizarre posture, but his pupils were fixed on Sasori of the Red Sand's movements.
There were three scrolls on Sasori's back—clearly three different combat methods.
Fire was obviously one of them.
"Hmph, crafty snake—still observing me?"
"So what if you see through it!"
"Iron Sand Drizzle!"
Black iron sand filled the sky, crashing down madly toward Orochimaru, trying to bury him completely.
"There's poison on the iron sand…"
"Can't touch it lightly…"
Orochimaru dodged while calling for Manda to attack. Through brief contact, he had already analyzed Sasori of the Red Sand's methods.
Worthy of his title as one of the Sannin.
"Roar!"
"I'll bite you to pieces!"
Relying on his powerful body, Manda smashed straight through all the puppets blocking his way. In an instant, puppet fragments filled the air.
His blood-red maw opened wide, clearly intending to swallow Sasori of the Red Sand in one bite.
"You want to eat me? Dream on!"
"Salamander!"
The next second, a massive puppet blocked Manda's path, a huge shield rising behind it.
It was the puppet that embodied defense taken to the extreme—the Salamander.
Originally, Sasori of the Red Sand had no intention of keeping this puppet anymore. But recently, he had been teaching Kabuto that kid puppet techniques, so he kept it by his side.
He hadn't expected to actually use it today.
"Oh? This puppet… hehehe."
"Hidden Shadow Multi-Snake Hands!"
Orochimaru clearly recognized this puppet. After all, during that ambush in the Land of Rivers back then, he had personally seen it get destroyed.
He knew its weaknesses inside out.
Several long snakes shot out like sharp swords, aiming straight for the flaws in the Salamander's shield.
"Hmph! So it really was you!"
"That battle in the forests of the Land of Rivers back then! The bastard who destroyed my Salamander!"
"Orochimaru!!!"
Seeing the Salamander get broken through almost as soon as it appeared, Sasori of the Red Sand couldn't help recalling those unbearable scenes from the past.
Snakes! It was those snakes!
Kill! Kill every last filthy snake!
The battle gradually grew more intense.
...
But unlike the back-and-forth offense and defense between Orochimaru and Sasori of the Red Sand, where every move countered another—
The fight between Gekko Chizan and Nagato was far more explosive.
"Ahahahaha! Nagato! Aren't your Rinnegan just ringed eyes?"
"Round and round—just looking at them makes me dizzy!"
"And that black-and-white cactus thing! A pile of roots and vines, and you still dare to fight?"
"I'll butcher you all!"
In Sage Mode, Gekko Chizan was incomparably violent. The massive Titan Python didn't care who stood in front of it, and it even mocked its opponents aloud.
Nagato was equally furious. Five bodies appeared at the same time.
The power of the Six Paths erupted wildly, and Zetsu joined the battlefield as well.
Roots and vines all over his body stabbed into the ground, and branches and roots like Wood Release poured toward Gekko Chizan in a frenzy.
But every time these attacks were about to land, they were blocked by a streak of red light.
It was the red snake transformed from Tagitsuhime.
"A snake sage from Ryūchi Cave…"
"Too troublesome…"
"But that puppet master fighting Orochimaru… he's interesting…"
Zetsu was half Black Zetsu, half White Zetsu.
White Zetsu was fighting, while Black Zetsu was observing the situation on the other battlefield.
Outstanding puppet techniques, combined with a puppet body—this puppet master's abilities were extremely impressive.
Very suitable to be absorbed into the organization.
"Shinra Tensei!"
"I block!"
"Banshō Ten'in!"
"I ram!"
"Missiles! All kinds of missiles!"
"I curl up!"
Nagato was so angry he was about to start cursing.
Gekko Chizan was like a total rogue—no matter what attacks Nagato used, he just tanked them head-on.
The surging senjutsu energy made the Titan Python incomparably tough. No matter how Nagato's attacks landed, they couldn't shake it.
"Nagato, if it really won't work, retreat first. Our goal isn't to fight him!"
"And I think I've found a new target…"
Black Zetsu's voice slowly reached Nagato's ears, but in his rage, Nagato couldn't listen at all.
All four remaining bodies except the Naraka Path rushed forward, and various summoned beasts joined the battle.
Nagato himself slowly retreated, then suddenly brought his hands together. The chakra within his body began to gather wildly—clearly, he was about to use a stronger killing move.
"Hm?"
"That feeling…"
"Chizan, be careful. I have a bad premonition!"
After destroying all the incoming branches once more, Tagitsuhime turned her massive snake head toward Nagato.
A trace of wariness appeared in her snake eyes, which surprised her—after all, as a snake princess who had cultivated for a thousand years, she rarely felt like this.
At this moment, a faint black glow had already begun to rise in Nagato's hands.
Gekko Chizan saw it too.
"Hm?"
"Is that Chibaku Tensei?"
"Damn, he's really planning to go all out!"
"Do you think I'm afraid of you??"
"Sage Art! Formation of Ten Thousand Snakes!"
He said he wasn't afraid, but his movements were incredibly fast.
He slammed his hands together—call it, and it comes!
The Titan Python opened its mouth wide, and countless long snakes began spewing out from within.
What a sight—snake spitting snake!
Seeing this from the other side, Orochimaru couldn't help but show a satisfied smile.
"Worthy of being my disciple. That posture is so much like mine."
"A Formation of Ten Thousand Snakes supported by senjutsu chakra?"
"Not bad! In that case—I'll show you my power too!"
"Self-created ninjutsu—I have it as well!"